$15 BILLION A MONTH FOR IRAQ - NO PROBLEM

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SMITHSONIAN BUILDINGS CRUMBLING, TOO BAD THERE'S NO MONEY TO FIX OUR NATIONAL MUSEUMS

Conditions at Arts and Industries have worried preservationists and Smithsonian officials for years. The roof had deteriorated to such a point that a canopy was installed beneath it to catch falling debris. Then, after a severe snowstorm in 2003 collapsed two other historic Washington structures, the Board of Regents decided the building had to be closed for safety reasons.

Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, said he was encouraged by the new preliminary moves.

"It is sitting on the Mall crumbling, and there may well be a private solution. I would be open to that," he said. But he warned that selecting a use should be a public process. "We and others would appreciate the opportunity to talk with them and create a transparent process."

The conditions of the landmark are emblematic of the crisis at the Smithsonian over its aging buildings and renovation needs. A study by the Government Accountability Office estimated the Smithsonian needed $2.5 billion to fix all its facilities.

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